Sprinkler system



Dec. 6, 1927. f 1,651,563

J. P. SWAN SPRINKLER SYSTEM Filed sept. 12. 1925 2 sheetsrsheee 1 .1. l@ i if 1 v x f I n k 213) 6 j6 Xi? i@ Dec. 6, 1927. 1,651,563

J. P. SWAN SPRINKLER SYSTEM Filed sept. 12, 1925 2 sheets-sneer 2 Patented Dec. 6, i927.

UNITED STATES g PATENT cariciaA JOHN 1'. or PLYMOUTHQFLORIDA.

` Y srnmxnna SYSTEM.

l Application mea seiitember 12, 1925. serial` No. 55,996.

This invention relates' to improvements in sprinklerv systems. v More especially it relates to aniinproved construction of the distribution pipes of sucha system and combination of pipes therein, resulting in the possibility of using smaller pipes and these concealed within the naturalpartitions of the building, "thereby leaving the appearance of the risk undisturbed, the system being at thesarne time arranged as .a single unit having `protective capacity equal to thatof a single riser u'nit of the style now customarily installed.

It is common practice, both' when instalasprinklerl system in a new buildingl and when adding such a'systein to` any old structure, to provide a vertical trunk-or distributing pipe of suitable size,.called a riser,

which at each floorV feedsa large horizontalbranch ipe from which at frequent intervals horizontal offshoots or sub-distribution pipes lead, each serving a number of adjacent sprinklerheads. Thus the primary-distribution is vertical, to the several ',floors; the secondary distribution is horizontal, usually along the kaxis of the area covered; and

the tertiarystage ishorizontal. Each riser or trunkwith its branches, sub-distribution pipes and sprinklers constitutesa unit system.-l The riser is .a large pipe, most frequently of six inch diameter. .-Each 4said branch has to be large and heavy; and lthe .net work of piping on each floor, 'carried just under the-ceiling, has pipes too large 1n diameter? and `is toozcomplicatedin layout to be installed between the ceiling and the floor above. .It isheavy as afwhole 4and imposes'a constant f stress uponi they floor beams; is unsightlyzfand 'disfguringy especially in ancilice building or mercantile. establishment; and maybe asourceof trouble and inconvenience if: other xtures or apparatus, such as shafting,y pulleys, etc.,r are to esupported from" the ceiling.l y l It is an object ofY he vpresent'invention to eliminate theselarge horizontal feeders on eachV floor and .some of the horizontal ofi'- shoots, and .to provide, either. at the top of the building, in the attic if there bey one, or in' the' basement, 'if preferred, a single: trunk line of horizontal pipes from which the 'water is distributed to the sprinklers by small vertical risersconcealed y,within j the partitions, and b .such'horizontal off-shoots as may be neede ,'arrangedin.thel spacebetween a -floor 'and-the y"ceiling immediately intermediate story; between aY .cialg im ortance in the case of wet-pipesystems, w ere the constant weight of the water must be added .to the weight of the pipes themselves. Y f A l These objects and the results which characterize the construction herein disclosed are Y attained by connecting/to a supply source a trunk pipe for making the rimary distribution. horizontally over allp floors of the area served by the unit, which trunk may preferably be located either next to the roof or inl the basement. From this trunk the branches-or secondary distributing pipes extend vertically within the partitions yand have off-shoot that preferably run between a oor and the adjacent ceiling to sprinkler headsfarranged in groups and exposed over ythe area to be protected. n Each group .is

madeup of a limited number of heads or nozzlesand one such,` group on each lfloor of the building is connected to thesame vertical ldistributing pipe, which `is of a size and capacity to supplyonly one group at a time. 'As t 1e sprinkler heads operate only v inthe vicinity wherejthe lire occurs, the ver- Y ticalidistributingpipe needonly be of a carpacity to supply the particular group protecting that area, and thus it may -be small enough to be concealed vwithin the partition. Ifthe single vertical-supply riser is placed in a shaft or otherconcealed conduit the entiresystern will be out of sight except for the exposed heads' or nozzles which necessarily project through'the ceiling kor walls.

.It is intended that the patent shall cover, l i

Vby suitable expression*-inV the appended` claims, whatever features lof patentable novelty exist in the'. invention disclosed.

EiIn' the accompanying drawings:V Y.

`Figure l is ak plan :of a layout of pipes in a portion of the attic cfa building; FigureQv'is a plan-of the 'la out'for an oor and its adjacentl ceiling.; Y

y Figure 3 is a-fplau like Figure 2 on alevel between the second floor and ceiling of the `first floor; and y Figure Ll is an elevation in section on line,`

4.4 of Figure l ona larger scale.

Referring tothe drawings, which as as whole represent a single unit systeln and which illustrate how it maybe applied in a` tributing riser ol tie customary type above described),"nitha trunk systemot' horizontal teeders ill which constitute theprnnary distributionstage of" the system andare "arranged in the `space betiveen the ceilingof` y the top `floor `or attic" floor1 and the roof.`

From these 'feeders lll, smaller pipes 16 are connected to sprinkler heads i8," projecting through the said ceiling, and verticalbriinch pipes 9.0 extend within a partitionl to just above the tiret floorceiling 22."

i i In the spaces between a licor and the ceiling next under it are horizontal off-shoots Q4 `which connect with the sprinkler heads or nozzles exposed beneath that ceiling.`

They are arrangcdso that only Ya limited number oi' sprinkler heads at each line will be supplied by the same vertical pipe. As

shown, `not more than six"are`connected to y anyone `of the horizontal `olly-shoots.

tlnsarrangement ofthe sprinkler headsthe vertical pipeslQ need only haven capacity for supplying onegroup,` this being suiiicieiit because "af'lire"` almost never starts in tivo different plac`es,"one above the other at the same t-in'ieJSince only one* group `or part of one group of sprinklers at a particular level will ever be calledintoservice,` it does `not matter that similar groupsabove and below are connected to the samevertical ipe, be-` cause these similargroiips will ,not lejdraw: ing wuterat the saine time thedischarging heads are in action. i i i 1 i i H Obviously` the y horizontal `feed pipes `14 may be placed in the basement cfa building ifdesired, ithc `first loorhas partitions through which the secondary distributing pipes 20 can rise, in which case the `supply main would join `thetrunk distributionl/ direct andthe vertical pipes Q() would ex tend thence upward throughthe partitions?,`

with thewhorizontal "ciffshoots connected thereto as before described. i It' the ,build` `ing illustratedhzul aibasement for` which there being` Lno partition y in the i first` floor through which the pipes couldbeicarried down, the needed basementsprinkler protcc tion could be had by tappingthe pipe l2 `In the case ot a building so `long that a trunk` lflfiofadequate size would be incon ing ahorizontal branch in the manner hcre- `:ment notembodying the present invention.`

veniently large, the Whole may be covercdby i using as `many separate unit systems, or!` as frequent- "supply pipes 12, like thatherein illustrated, as may be desired or necessary for covering the whole. 1 i f "I claim as my invention: i 9 i1 i I 1. Alsprinkler system unitfor a building, comprising, in combinatiomn horizontal dis` tributing `trunk orthe ground area served y i by saidunit; vertical distributing branches from this trunk, spaced at intervals over the area protected by the `unit, each extending several `floors and each being ot` less across sectional `area than ivouldobe propcrvtor` a singlet mam riser ot' a standardsprinkler system; horizontal `off shoots from each of the verticalbranchcs atthe several oorsof said ground area, the olf shoots `ironidiffei.`-

ent verticalipipes ateach floor collectively `but not individually` covering` said floor and sprinkler heads connectedto the oli' shoots.` *2. A sprinkler' system unit for a1 building, comprising, in combination, ahorizontal'distributing `trunk for the ground urea` f served by said unit; vertical distributing branches from this trunk; 1 horizontal oit,` shoots utrom each `01E `the, `said i vertical Hdistributing lill) branches at different levelsyanda `group of sprinkler heads connected "to each saidfhorif zontal olf shoot; each said `vertical branch being of less crossfsectional areathan would be properforla singlemain riser of a stand` y ard `s rinkler` i system, but `having capacit-y suitab e for `supplying,theflargest one oiwits connected roupsof sprinkler' lieadspandhin'f or supplying all of `its saidi con`- 11o"` sprinkler system, `andl the plu-` rality of them being'distributed over the ground area rotected by the unit;` sprink`` `1ers `arrange yinwsmallYgroups,` each" said IT small group having individual connectionfto `one ofsaid vertical pipes; therebeingfaksuccession y of said `1 small `groups vconriected'ito the `same vertical pipe at `successive floors;

and the sprinkler protectionatieach:Hoorbe l ing composedof awpluralityiotSaid small groupsmdividually connected to different `verticalpipes in the iunit.,

l flijAfsprinklerisystem unit comprising sprinkler `heads jarranged. `in ,i e "farb plurality of groups i, for eachln fielen Cf` Atht building; andy distributing pipes connecting individual sprinkler groups in vertical sey ries; the said distributing pipes being scattered over the unit of area protected and being themselves connected in horizontal series and being each of less crossy sectional area than Would be proper' for a single main riser of a standard sprinkler system.

5. vA combination of distribution pipes in a sprinkler system unit comprising a trunk distribution pipe and Vconnections and sprinklers fed thereby, wherein the largerpipes in said connection between the trunk and the sprinklers extend vertically andare severally of less cross sectional area than would be proper for a main riser of a standard sprinkler system.

sprinkler system for building comi prising, in combination, a horizontal feeder unit extending along the ground area served by the system and serving for primary horizontal distribution for a plurality of floors thereof; vertical distributing` pipes extending from this horizontal unit, each to several floors and each for the several partial.

horizontal areas of the iioors which it serves and being severally of less cross-sectional area than Would be proper for a main riser of a standard sprinkler system; and sprinklers on the several floors, each with short horizontal pipe in said partial areas connecting the sprinklers to said vertical pipe.

7. A sprinkler system unit for a building having a plurality of floors, in which Vunit there is a main horizontal distribution element comprising a series of interconnected horizontal distributing pipes arranged atone level and extending over ground area of the unit; a multiplicity of sprinkler heads scattered over each floor, and of horizontal subdistribution elements therewith at each floor feeding the sprinklers; and a multiplicity of vertical distribution elements scattered over said area, each being of less cross sectional area'than Wouldbe proper for a single main riser of a standard sprinkler system and each extending from the said main horizonv rcross sectional area than Would be proper for a single main riser of a standard sprinkler system; tertiary distribution comprising horizontal oft-shoots from the secondary at each floor; and sprinkler heads connected to the tertiary elements.

Signed at Plymouth, Florida, this thirtyfirst day of August, 1925.V

JOHN P. SWAN. 

